Daughter of the Witcher Ch. 05

***This is one of those chapters which need to happen now and again. I'm not overly fond of writing "meanwhile, back at the ranch" chapters, but there are a few logistics issues which will need tying up in the next chapter or so.

Then again, I've just had the thought that some might like this sort of thing, so if you're one of those who like a tale with far-flung things happening in different places, hey, fill your boots, by all means. :)

Oh, and I've moved this to the Non-human category from here on. I'd hope that it might be a little self-explanatory from about this point forward.

0_o

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By the time that Leif and Moppy were well and truly tired of arguing over something which neither of them really wanted to argue about, they just sat looking at each other.

"Ye do not need me there, Leif," she said, wearily from where she sat on Leif's lap, "and that's the end of it. I'll not mind being without you while ye go te see yer Da. If we keep at this, it'll be too late and he'll be gone."

"Moppy love," Leif sighed, "I know him and I love him, but I also know that he'd love te finally meet ye. Please say you'll go with me. I'm proud of you."

Moppy thought about it for a moment and then she sighed too, "Ye likely want te show me off te yer relations as the only girl there wi' no warts.

Fine, Leif. I'll go wi ye then."

"We'll set out in the morning," the huge smith said instantly and he looked at their guests, "Ye can just stay here, if ye like. I know I'd like it better if there was someone here while Moppy and me are gone, that is, if ye'll no mind."

"And they're needin' a place fer the winter and all," Moppy added.

With that settled and with Louhi's and Cuilén's quiet agreement, they had another cog of mead to seal the plan. Cuilén looked over after a moment and noted that the troll wore just a hint of satisfaction on his face. Leif looked over and the smile grew.

He shrugged, "Well Ah've never won an argument with my Moppy before."

Moppy looked up a little evilly as her hand slipped down to pet what he had under his work apron, "Ye won nothin', ye sweet fool. Ah just thought of havin' te do without for the whole time and I find that it's not a thought that I like so much."

The thought seemed to inspire the pair and they bid their guests a good night shortly after and Moppy giggled as Leif carried her to their bed in the cave down below.

Cuilén looked at Louhi and she saw his smile as he motioned her to lean a little more and move her head a little closer to share a private whispered word with her, "I'm glad that's settled," he said, "I could have lived with either choice, but, ..."

Louhi nodded, "I know," she sighed a little wearily, "the discussing of it was far more than I cared to hear."

Suddenly, she sat up a little straighter, looking off into space for a moment as she reached for his hand between them on the table. "Feel," she whispered, "Annikki comes and there is something, ... Something is changing for her. I do not know more yet."

As if she'd heard her name, Annikki walked in a few moments later. Louhi knew that she'd been correct just by looking at the expression of pleased wonderment there.

She poured Annikki a cog of mead and sat her down at the table, "Are you going to tell us?"

Annikki sat for a moment and only looked off into the air in front of her, but then she smiled softly, "I have met someone and , ... I do not know the best way to say it, only, ... I think that I am for him."

She looked at the others then and after a slow sip of her mead, she began to tell of it, but Louhi pulled Annikki closer and whispered caution against speaking too loudly so that Leif didn't overhear any of it.

"He has no love for that kind," she said, "so tell it quietly, Annikki, but please tell it all the same."

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After hearing all of what had happened, Louhi was overjoyed. "Leif and Moppy leave in the morning. After that, go and bring him here.

She sat back then and thought a moment, "Now," she said quietly, "Do you wish to know more?"

Annikki nodded and Louhi smiled, "As do I. So finish your cog and then go to the pool and bathe. I will come with the runes and you will learn to see what is not to be seen by most people."

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Annikki waited in the warm water, sitting quietly with her back to one side of the pool and trying to keep her thoughts still. She was a little excited and she was aware that it was not going to help with what Louhi had in mind so she did her best to remain tranquil.

Louhi walked in then and removed her clothing to set it aside. She stepped into the pool and sat next to Annikki and put her arm around her shoulders. After a few moments, Annikki noticed the soft grin.

Louhi's grin widened and she whispered, "I do not even think that we need the runes for this, I feel it so strongly now. But let us begin.

After a few kisses, the women rose up on their knees and held on to each other, trading gentle caresses and allowing their kisses to take them a little farther along. It had been a few days and Louhi wanted to show her girl that things were still unchanged between them. As she listened to the slowly quickening tempo of her friend's breathing in her ear, Louhi began to speak very softly and with a bit of care, since she was feeling it as well.

"I have a man now, but I am still your girl, Nikki, just as you are still mine in my heart. I still carry love for you. This should remain between us, even with men in our hearts as well.

I do not know much about the kind of the one that you have found and I admit this. But I do know that he has ability and it might be that all of them have it. I sense something magical about him. If he is one of the ones that Moppy told of, then he must have something to be able to do as they do. I think that he must be more magical as a creature than we to do something like that. Come and let us see what there may be to learn."

She let Annikki go and guided her to the edge of the pool. Reaching over to where her clothes were, she grabbed a towel and retrieved a skin bag. She poured out the contents a little slowly onto the edge in front of Annikki. There was a soft clattering as the stones and the bone pieces tumbled out. Annikki watched as Louhi set the bone ones aside, leaving only the polished stones.

"Dry your hands, sweet one, and then put the stones back into the bag. When you think that you are ready, let me know and then you must do as I tell you."

Annikki looked at the stones for a moment. She'd seen Louhi use them fairly often and she knew that these were tools to help in divination. "But, aren't you going to do this?"

Louhi shook her head, "No. Not this time. I will use this to teach you the way and you will do the searching for what you wish to know. Because it is your first time, I will guide you and we will use no smoke."

She chuckled then, "I have no doubt that it will not be needed this time anyway. So lean on the edge with your arms and tell me when you are ready."

Annikki turned then and leaned forward. She wasn't sure what she ought to be thinking or doing, really. But in a moment, Louhi began to chant quietly and after three times through, she told Annikki to follow her through the words. If she could, Louhi told her, it would help to try to get the tones to the singing, since it really was a melody after all.

When Annikki had it pretty much, Louhi moved behind her and began to stroke her skin very softly all over, while trying hard not to tickle.

Annikki droned out the words in time with Louhi and she felt herself relax into the moment. When Louhi judged that it was sufficient, her touches became more petting and then they moved to more intimate places on her friend.

"This is to help you along," she said, "but do not allow yourself to be taken away in it. This is loving, Annikki, but it has a purpose and it is a very old method. I learned it from my grandmother only days before she passed from this world. Just feel it and keep what you wish to know in your mind as well."

Louhi's hands slipped very carefully between Annikki's thighs and she began to caress her there lightly. Her touches might have been interpreted as loving teases at other times, and they had often done this to each other. What Louhi had always borne in mind once the two of them had become lovers and after Annikki had shown them both that she had a little ability was that this time had to come for her friend. She was overjoyed to be teaching this now and for such an important divination as this.

Louhi went back to chanting right along with Annikki who hadn't stopped while she'd been listening. She moved forward a little on her knees, keeping the caresses going with one hand while using the other now to pet Annikki's little breasts and belly. Annikki's chanting slowly became more and more driven by her quiet moaning, the words and the song still in there.

Annikki looked back a little uncertainly, but she nodded and Louhi smiled.

"Then take the bag by the neck and shake it, asking what you desire to know. Do not seek for a certain answer. If it is certain, you will know. Seek instead for likely outcomes and ends to your question and you will know by the stones then."

Annikki shook the leather bag vigorously, moaning all the while as the words came out of her mouth. When she stopped, Louhi told her to remove eight stones carefully as they came to her fingertips and then set them one at a time in order on the raised floor before her hands.

"The order is important," she droned quietly, "and do not waste any time in looking at each one. Only stop when you have the right number. Do it slowly, my love. I need time to help you along in it."

Annikki was facing away, but she nodded, her eyes closed in pleasure and concentration. She felt Louhi's hand leave her nipple and slide back to her hip as Louhi moved back. She almost stopped when she felt Louhi's tongue just tease her anus for a few moments. It was just something that Louhi did because she knew that Annikki liked it so much, but it wasn't the main thing. That began when her tongue slid lower.

Annikki arched her back, groaning out the chant now, but she kept on, needing to now for some reason that she'd lost sight of.

Louhi found the position to be a challenge for her like this because she had to keep her own sex out of the water. She didn't want any of her own juices to wash away in the water because she'd need them in a few moments.

They went on for a time and Annikki's hand hadn't reached into the bag yet.

Louhi drew one of her hands back and slipped her fingers into herself. She wanted a little pleasure as well, but for the moment, she needed to get her fingers as wet as she could. This was to help Annikki and doing it this way was to aid her by adding her fluids to her friend's.

She brought her hand forward and began to gently tug and squeeze Annikki's lips, both sides alternately. Annikki's head went down and she whimpered a little for a moment. Louhi crossed her fingers. Touching the tips to Annikki's wet sex, she moved herself forward on her knees so that her hand was against her own mound after she'd pressed against the inside of Annikki's calf.

Annikki didn't miss a beat. She moved her legs a little farther apart to accommodate Louhi, who now pushed her fingers in between the swollen lips and sought for the opening. Finding it, Louhi moved forward yet again to take up the space and then she began to fuck Annikki very slowly like that.

Annikki reached for the bag and brought out a stone. She set it down a little shakily and then reached for the bag again. The two women chanted and sang while Louhi fucked on and on. Annikki was pushing back in time against her lover's fingers a little carefully as she kept her question in her mind.

By the time that Annikkii had seven stones laid out, Louhi was doing her best and thinking that the next time, she'd use one of the ritual phalli that her grandmother had given to her on Annikki. But this was a first time, and as such, she didn't dare try too hard for Annikki, not wanting her to lose her focus.

Annikki was doing just the right thing, it seemed to Louhi. She was waiting for the moment. Louhi leaned down and kissed Annikki's back, telling her that she loved her before she moved back a little so that she could do a little less humping.

She began to twist her hand as she fucked Annikki and that moved the smaller girl right to the edge in seconds. Annikki leaned down and held one forearm in her mouth while reaching for the bag with the other. As she shuddered and bucked, her fingers closed around the eighth stone and she drew it into her palm and closed her fingers over it tightly as she sobbed a little from having to keep herself quiet.

Louhi waited a few more moments before she eased her hand back. Leaning over Annikki's hips, she told her again that she loved her and always would.

After washing her hands off in the pool and drying her hands again, the two girls knelt side by side with Annikki watching as Louhi arranged the stones, explaining the meaning and significance of each one as she placed them in a pattern. Each place in the pattern was explained as well.

Louhi pointed out the sad aspects that she could see and Annikki told that Ren was alone. Louhi shook her head, "I see this, but there is more, much more to this loss. There was no mate in whatever happened, but there was great loss. He has lost his family, I think.

Here," she pointed, "and here; he is ready and feels hope again, but it is for something like he has never known before. From what you said earlier, it is as if this is what you hope to have with him. But," Louhi held up a finger, "I also see that he needs to be taught many things which he has never had the chance to learn. I say this most especially in that he does not know how to live here I think, and I see that, ... if I am correct, then it worries him.

Oh, and also, it is always hard to say for certain, but from these here," she pointed, "you have likely found your man."

Annikki thanked Louhi, but the white-haired girl only laughed a little, "I did nothing but help you on the way to seeing. It was you who took the stones, not me."

"Still," Annikki grinned, "I want to thank you," she said as she patted the planking. Louhi smiled and nodded before she got up and sat there on the edge with her knees apart.

"You said that I would know if it was certain," Annikki said, "And I know it now."

Annikki moved forward and she kissed Louhi while her hands moved over Louhi's body, touching, feeling, caressing and even teasing a little. At a word from Annikki, Louhi leaned back onto her hands and Annikki sank down, licking her lips as she moved forward to kiss the frosty-looking stripe of Louhi's pubic hair. Louhi raised her knees and began to buck a little herself as she sighed.

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The couple did in fact depart the next day and it was just after a quick breakfast. The next thing that any of the others knew, they were saddled up and plodding away with instructions spoken over their shoulders on how to keep the furnace down below running and that they'd miss the three of them over the winter and to look for them by the end of March.

Then they were gone over the rise in the road and Annikki stood rather surprised.

"After almost two days of bickering," she said, "they are gone in an hour. I cannot believe my eyes."

Cuilén smirked, "Everyone seems to hold that trolls are slow things and they are not. They are slow to get things settled, but with it done, they move and waste little time. I wish them well and I am thankful that we have solved our worry about a winter home."

Annikki drew her cloak around her and smiled, "I will go to see Ren."

Cuilén nodded, "I know."

She looked at him, "How? Is it plain to be seen?"

"To one who knows you, Annikki," he said, the smile turning into a wide grin, "The way that you almost dance in one place, it is either that, or you have to make water very badly."

But the humor was wasted because she was already gone before he had time to say the second part to more than only Louhi. She turned back from the top of the path and called out, "Please remember to say nothing of his hands. He feels badly about them and I want to try to make them look as ours."

Then she was gone.

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She couldn't see him.

Annikki looked all around the cove, scanning continually as she walked out onto the strand very slowly. She didn't see him anywhere.

She wondered if he was out hunting for a meal and she wanted to tell him that he didn't need to. Cuilén had shot a large buck the day before and it hung in the coolest part of the cavern.

She looked for at least fifteen minutes as she walked around slowly, not wanting to miss him. Finally, Annikki just said it.

"REN!"

There was a startled cry from right beside her and she jumped. So did Ren, who up till then had been sitting looking at the sea, wrapped in his mottled gray skin.

"I thought you were a stone," she laughed after apologizing and he smiled, "I guess that I must have been right next to you and I saw nothing."

She knelt on the stone next to him, "What were you doing?"

He nodded toward the opening of the cove, out toward the dark water, "There. See them?"

Annikki looked and saw a pair of tall dorsal fins standing out in the waves, slowly gliding past.

"I was out hunting," he said, "I wanted to find a fish to give to you because you brought me food. But those were there and one chased me all the way in. I changed myself just as I left the water, and the thing almost had me."

He looked down then, "So I have nothing to give to you. They wait for me to grow hungry enough to go back in. Before that time, they will hide themselves."

Annikki put her arms around Ren and she hugged him for a moment, "You don't need to do that. I have come to bring you to where we stay and there is food there for you -- if you can eat venison."

She looked at the tall fins out there slowly slicing through the small waves, "Let them wait forever. Have you ever eaten venison?"

"If it is not long and black with a mouthful of teeth," he smiled a little weakly, "then I can eat it."

They stood up and again, she wondered how he could stand to be in cold such as she felt, but then she supposed that it was what he knew and she hoped that he wouldn't find it too warm in the house.

She looked at the way that he'd wrapped his skin around himself and she could see how it was that she'd missed him. The mottling on it hid him well in a rocky place. "Come," she said, "I want to get those poor bare feet of yours warm."

As they walked, Ren worked a few of his thoughts over and at least some of them spilled out before they'd gotten to the trees and the path which led up the hill to the house. There was a fair bit of synchronicity to their thoughts and he asked as she did and it became a rather disjointed thing until Annikki stopped them just inside the trees because while they were both laughing; they weren't getting to the answers which eluded them as to just how to begin.

"I think I know what we both wish to ask," she chuckled as she looked at him.

Ren looked even better to her today. While he was no musclebound warrior, that wasn't what appealed to her anyway. She liked Cuilén because of his honest heart, not for his vast strength. That strength had its place if it was needed to protect Louhi and Annikki, but it wasn't why she loved him as a close friend.

Ren on the other hand, while not being covered with the ancient markings of a dead kingdom and not having the bulk of a man used to the sort of things which Cuilén was, well, she saw no weakness in the way that he was made. She doubted if she could have pinched any fat on him at all if she kept her hands off his backside, though she had her doubts if she really could stand that sort of test even if she'd sworn an oath not to. She pushed the image of his bottom from her mind while willing herself not to peek at the same time.